cocoa

Woman reportedly served family drink that expired in 1990

(Newser) -
What should have been a sweet treat has reportedly resulted in charges for a 77-year-old grandmother in Italy. Three kids and at least two adults—one of whom was the woman herself—got sick after they drank the stuff, which came from a bag that expired 25 years ago, UPI...
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Study to see whether high concentrations of cocoa flavanols promote heart health

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Surely you've heard that chocolate can be good for you : Now researchers are aiming to take all of dark chocolate's healthy components and pack them into pill form, in an attempt to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and heart disease. In previous studies, cocoa flavanols have been found to...
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Study indicates that it can improve patients with impaired neurological coupling

(Newser) -
Here's some medicine that will go down easy: A new study suggests that drinking hot cocoa can help seniors sharpen their memories, at least if their brains already suffer some impairment. Researchers had a group of 60 seniors drink two cups of hot cocoa a day, with half getting...
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Gourmands fight for native Peruvian cocoa

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To cut down on production of the coca plants behind cocaine, the US has pushed an alternative crop to Peruvian farmers: a high-yielding cocoa hybrid. And while CCN-51 has had commercial benefits, there's one problem, chocolate experts say—it just doesn't taste that good. Instead, these connoisseurs say,...
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Call it a 'super-fruit,' researchers say

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Chocolate lovers, rejoice: Your beloved treat may actually be healthier than fruit juice. A comparison of cocoa products to fruit juice powders suggests dark chocolate has more antioxidant power than juices, as well as more of certain chemicals that are good for your heart, the New York Daily News reports....
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Who's hoarding all that cocoa, and why?

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The supply of cocoa beans sitting in warehouses across Europe could fill more than 5 Titanics, and as of last week it all belongs to one mysterious figure. An anonymous investor sparked intrigue last week when he, she, or they bought 241,000 tons of cocoa—essentially, every cocoa bean...
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Soaring cocoa prices slim down candy makers' profit margins

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Soaring cocoa prices have left chocolate makers wondering how far they can hike prices without souring business, the Wall Street Journal reports. Crop woes in Africa have kept cocoa pricey despite the global commodities slump. Chocolate companies are mostly holding prices steady for now but many are expected to fatten...
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Mars aims to unlock genetic code to develop hardier cacao trees

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Candy giant Mars is investing $10 million in a 5-year research project to unlock the secrets of chocolate's genetic code—the cocoa genome—as the first stage in developing cacao trees that can produce more, survive droughts, and combat disease. Mars intends to make the results public to stop key...
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